Glossary · Your money in the deal
In short
This is the minimum amount of your own cash you must put into the deal. The SBA generally requires at least 10% of the total project cost to be your equity injection.
The SBA mandates a minimum equity injection to ensure you have "skin in the game." This must be verifiable, unencumbered personal funds or other approved sources, typically 10% of the total project cost for an acquisition. Lenders will rigorously verify the source and seasoning of these funds.
13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans
Office of the Federal Register · Federal regulation
SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs
U.S. Small Business Administration · SBA Standard Operating Procedure
Last checked 2026-06-15. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
Defined by DealRoom.so SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
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